Reviews (page 5 of 8)
Another day, another blessing in the list! I had never heard of Gene Clark, but No Other has everything I love. Off-kilter, spiritual lyrics. Sweet pop melodies. Harmonies that could end or heal worlds ("Strength of Strings"...holy poop). Slightly uncanny live instrumentation (what's up with those guitars on the title track?). Pedal steel! I'm always amped when gifted songwriters let their tunes breathe...there's a confidence and command of artistry required in knowing when to just let it ride...reminds me a bit of Neil and Crazy Horse (in all the best ways). "Some Misunderstanding" is an absolute showstopper. Below is why I can't wait to dig into the rest of his discography: "Although he did not enjoy commercial success as a solo artist, Clark was in the vanguard of popular music during much of his career, prefiguring developments in such disparate subgenres as psychedelic rock, baroque pop, newgrass, country rock, and alternative country."
liking the album cover! never heard of this guy i usually dont like folksy stuff like this but i find sometjing endearing and comforting about his voice. that being said im still not the biggest fan. id listen to this at gilroy gardens.
Alright-ish country
Day891 - welcome to 1001 albums you must hear before you die where we have everything by the byrds and the byrds adjacent
It’s a quite nice country pop/rock-album. Easy to listen to, but also no really stand out songs.
I just said 2 days ago I was happy I was done with byrds and byrds adjacent music I am glad im done with them This is fine 3
Shockingly, given the genre, I kinda like this one. Very listenable. Good production, too. I can see why the Country purists at the time didn't like it; that's probably why I do, in part. A pleasant surprise, this one.
This is perfectly alright as background music but feels generically 70s. Not unpleasant but nothing that stands out
I had no idea that Gene Clark was with the Byrds until after I listened to the album and getting ready to right this. So I gave it a benefit of a doubt and gave it 3 stars (was leaning to 2 stars). I found it very generic 70s folk rock/country - just doesn't do anything for me to love it.
Not what I expected, but not bad. I'd give it another listen.
This is folk country music with some psychedelia mixed in. My favorite song was "Some Misunderstanding", which encapsulated the perfect folk-y mix for me. The country aspects I wasn't as much a fan of, but the album was a pretty decent one to listen to, regardless.
Some beautiful songwriting with very psychedelic 70s instrumentation, but it's a bit self indulgent at times. Faves: Silver Raven, No Other, Strength of Strings, Some Misunderstanding
country legal
Nothing too wrong with it. A little over the top for what amounted to a fairly standard album. Always interesting to read more about members of groups I know and see how things shook out. Music is enjoyable, saved a couple just cuz but didn't love any.
I liked this album. Good thing, since there are 4 more on this site from this artist. 3 stars
This was OK. Nothing particularly special about it.
As my wife said: it's gettin' harder
Folk sympa mais un peu lent et mélancolique
Sympa Je vois bien ça en soundtrack de film, mais je pense que ça me fait penser à eddie vedder qu’on entend dans into the wild
Sympa mais sans plus
Pretty decent stuff, a lot better than the other Gene Clark album I got from this website
Psychedelic country-soul. No songs stand out. Pitchfork: 9.3 [Deluxe reissue 2019] Rolling Stone: n/a
*No other is a great song *Solid singer songwriter 70s album- many songs go too long though
Enjoyed this very much. Strength Of Strings was the stand out.
Not bad but too country for my taste. Although it got better, still not to my liking.
The album sets a mood—and sticks to it. Clark’s delivery is a a little too low-key, and his particular brand of folk-rock is pretty dated. But the songs are good. I especially like “Strength of Strings” and “Some Misunderstanding.”
Bon... C'est un délire. Faut rentrer dedans. C'est pas trop mon genre de musique, de chant ou de mélodies. Mais ça s'écoute c'est un bon album je pense. juste pas mon truc.
3 I thought the name “Gene Clark” seemed familiar, and as it turns out, the guy was one of the original members of The Byrds, a group we’ve seen multiple times on this list and that I’ve given pretty consistent middling reviews to. However, there was one album in particular that I rated far below all the others, that being Sweetheart of the Rodeo, the group’s true foray into country. I know it’s pretty acclaimed and considered largely influential in hindsight, but in my opinion, it came across as a pretty disingenuous offering from a bunch of hippies following Gram Parson’s lead. And wouldn’t you know it? Despite having *no* involvement with the making of that album, Clark went down a similar path himself. Now, truthfully, I didn’t think this was that bad, mostly middling (surprise, surprise), and I was pretty prepared to write it off simply as that pretty early on into my listening. But then, Clark goes down a surprisingly experimental pathway after two traditional-leaning country tunes, and the album grows much more interesting because of it. Not super interesting mind you, but certainly a step above middling. In particular, I will give my boy Gene credit for the title track, No Other, which is far and away the centerpiece. For an album that starts off sounding like the kind of thing you might hear at a honky-tonk, he seemingly decided to veer off into a funk direction, and it results in his most catchy, groovy offering because of it. Strength of Strings, From a Silver Phial, and Some Misunderstanding also aren’t bad in all honestly (though that last one is a bit overindulgently long), but then, without warning, the album shifts hard back into country again, almost as if to be like, “Whoa, that was weird. Anyway, back to your regularly scheduled program.” Lady of the North at least seems to attempt to blend the two sounds, which was probably an apt decision for the closing track, but it’s not overly interesting despite that, and once again, it’s too long. In summary, one really good song, a few decent ones, a few I could have done without, and a touch of disjointment for good measure - which really aren’t great comments to make if your album is only 8 tracks, 43 minutes. Still, you can tell Gene was going for something different here, and I respect that, so I’ll bestow a 3.
Siis hyvälle country-musalle on oma paikkansa mut ei tää toisaalta ihan aina lähe. Näkisin vision et kiva kesäilta, teidän mökin palju, muutama huurteinen ja tää albumi soi taustalla
Ihan ok musiikkia, Oisko yks tai kaks mennyt omalle listalle. Ei miyään mieleenpainuvaa. Solid 3/5
Very enjoyable for me. I can see a lot of appeal if your a fan of the Eagles.
3.5
3.5
Reading the notes behind this album, it seems this was critically mauled on its release and seen as an expensive failure, which seems unfair as this is not a million miles away from a lot of mid-70s sounds. Listening to it now though, its similarity to a lot of other 70s albums ironically means that for me it doesn’t really stand out from a lot of those artists.
Some classics on here - the title track and Strength of Strings are especially brilliant
Started strongly, faded a little
It was enjoyable. I don’t get why it was panned originally, but I don’t get why, later on, people flipped about how good it is.
I think I accidentally listened to this twice which tells me it was easy to listen to but also very forgettable.
This was fine. I enjoyed the country feel to it.
I can appreciate this as a good album but I wasn't really feeling it, just a folk rock release that I'm not going to think about and isn't for me.
good
It was fine
Hmm I don't mind 'Silver Raven' so far and No Other. Not too shabby!
Interesting album. Not bad and I’m glad I heard it. Not sure I’d say it’s amazing though.
Pretty nice world to drop into, hippie country. A few moments stood out, some felt a bit derivative, but overall pleasant experience.
Feel like I now understand pretty clearly what it must feel like to be depressed in LA. This album sounds great and feels like a pretty cohesive artistic statement, but on the other hand it felt like a bit of downer and I can understand why it didn't sell.
Man, I wished I liked this more because the story of Clark and this album are fascinating and depressing. The album: I can understand why people didn’t love it in ‘74. It sounds like songs from the mid/late 70s. Some of it made me think of the Eagles or Fleetwood Mac. The layering of the tracks make for really interesting tunes, but not a lot of catchiness. Life's Greatest Fool is a 5 star song though… Do not ignore that track! To Gene Clark: Im sorry this was so misunderstood and a brutal failure. Sounds like the recording took a toll on you in LA and life was tumultuous thereafter. If it means anything, it really seems like a lot of legendary bands love your later material and you made your mark beyond just your Byrds years
Hippie dippie, Classic 70s. It was fine
Aj country aj iné... Aj ma to baví aj nie... Skôr som za to menej country...
Maybe if I take a break for another 60 years I'll rate this even higher
Angenehme Singer/Songwriter Musik aus den 70ern. Ich habe das Album direkt zweimal gehört. Es ist nicht aufregend, keine großen Hits, aber einfach schöne Musik. 3/5
нечего сказать, средний альбом
This has an easy going feel to it. Has a laid back yesterdayness to it. It's okay but fails to really grab me.
Как-то тоже пролетел незаметно
Pretty good.
Not convinced. Surely some interesting ideas for the time, but have heard it more convincingly elsewhere.
pretty good, kinda Neil Youngish
The album was OK, but not too memorable.
Good guitar instrumentals
Very strong album with an interesting yet sad backstory. Opens with a couple of strong Stills/Young-esque country-rock songs, but develops nicely into something much more interesting with the excellent, dark sounding 'No Other', which reminds me more of Pink Floyd. This follows into the standout track, 'Strength of Strings'. The next four songs revert back to the Country sound which is always less appealing for me, but they are well written and produced tracks with good lyrics. 7/10
I don’t have much to report here. Easy listening, great songwriting, fun songs, nothing earth shattering and nothing to write home about but it does make the albums i would passively listen to with my wife for background noise on a car trip list.
Interesting, though not amazing.
Сара 3 Марко 3
Interesting collection of country music with some psychedelic overtures. Deep layers of songwriting on here that make it a good listen.
Pretty nice.
3.5 Strength of Strings sounded like every Neil young song smashed into one. Silver Raven reminded me of Guy Clarke song (which to me is fine compliment). Went through an listened a second time, not an all time album or anything but a really good collection
Sympa mais plutôt à mettre en fond
Mostly countryish soft rock music with spiritual lyrics and an occasional chorus of women singing in the background. There are some interesting arrangements on here, but the consistently mellow, yearning vibe made it unappealing to me, though not enough to send it to the 2-star basement. 3 stars
Pretty interesting story on this one, not bad at all
Not too shabby, I really liked the flow and the familiar, yet different quality to it.
Cool
I enjoy country more now because I’m far from home. This was a good one
I had no expectations going into this because I had no idea who he was. I was pleasantly surprised. I don't normally like this music, specifically from this era, but I found myself bopping along to it. Just the day before I had a Neil Young album from around the same time and absolutely hated it. Having a good voice goes a LONG way.
A few good tracks, but nothing that blew me away. Oh well
Having generally liked the Byrds' albums on this list (and loved some of them), and read some context around this album, I was a little underwhelmed by it overall. There are some nice moments and memorable songs but the majority of it felt quite pedestrian and ordinary to me. Can't see it becoming a regular in my rotation.
I really liked the songs that didn't sound as country-like.
I was pleasantly surprised by this one! 3/5 I'd listen again but probably not purchase.
Like The Byrds as a band but never been a fan of their solo stuff, too country for my liking, but this is not too bad. Nothing outstanding on it, but some nice guitar work on some of the songs.
This is fine. I have nothing overwhelmingly pertinent to say here.
Quality stuff throughout. My primary gripe with the album is, at least to an initial listen in one sitting, most songs to me failed to have a unique identity. Most of the album settled into my head as one lengthy calming sludge. Rather than a body made up of distinct parts, this was an admittedly high-quality viscous sludge. Not a bad album by any means, but for a listener such as myself I am unlikely to go seeking any of these songs out on their own, and would struggle to tell two songs on the album apart. Your mileage may vary.
3- Stars (7/15)
It sounds like country Pink Floyd a little bit near the middle. I enjoyed this album, but it kind of put me to sleep.
01) Life's Greatest Fool - 5,5 02) Silver Raven - 6,5 03) No Other - 7,0 04) Strength of Strings - 6,0 05) From a Silver Phial - 5,5 06) Some Misunderstanding - 6,5 07) The True One - 6,0 08) Lady of the North - 6,0 TOTAL: 6,13 (61/100) Current ranking: 652/858
3.5/5
Decent album.
Interesting, but I wouldn’t put it “lost classic” territory
This has a tiny bit of country feel to it and is reminiscent of Niel Young in the vocal delivery and style. It is a contemplative album and takes its time. A nice listen but not earth shattering. Definitively not, "one of the greatest albums ever made." but a good listen nonetheless.
Textbook mid-70s folk rock. It's definitely not bad, but I can't say it really sparked anything for me.
lifes greatest fool has got nice beetles vibes quite fun silver raven good song no other quite nice chill Some misunderstanding quite long but feels like a mix between pink floyd and the beetles, good song. true one, nice song quite country blues rock good song, not one I would add to a playlist but very nice good for a camping trip. Overall a good album that is very fun to listen to with some amazing vocals and classic instrumentals. It all feels quite same with not many songs standing out. It's not the type of album I would go out to listen to though, very relaxed and can imagine them as good songs around a campfire.
It's okay. Nothing too exciting, nothing that sounds bad. I could play this in the background. I wouldn't seek it out, wouldn't turn it off. Okay, Mid, So-So, Mediocre, pick your word. 2.5, bump to 3.
I liked no-other but the rest was a bit too country
This album plays with a bunch of different styles, which is cool, but I can see why it was overlooked back when it was released. It’s good music, but there aren’t any real bangers.
6/10… baroque pop / country rock / *1974
Good
Unremarkable. I am sure there is so.ething i am missing here. I usually love a good singer-songwriter but I just didn't get into it.
Easy to listen to, good vibes album, liked the title song the most.
I enjoyed it.
Album #1,064 I didn't know who Gene Clark was before this. I guess he was in The Byrds. Yeah, this country/folky rock album sounds kinda like Sweetheart of the Rodeo. There are a couple of good tracks at the beginning, and the last track was OK, but the whole thing is lacking the "oomph" that would make me want to listen again. Average 3/5, just like I rated all The Byrds' albums. Oh, and Gene has a boring voice.
This was really good. A really great edition to the classic albums of that era.
Enjoyed!
fun!
okay
3.5 rounded down, enjoyed more than expected
It's fine. I found it kind of boring over all, but that might be because I've heard so many albums like this in my life and nothing about it really sets it apart from the rest.
ja it's fine en zo. zou hier niet zo snel naar luisteren maar best lekker voor n zonnige zaterdagochtend
ja een stuk beter dan ik dacht toen ik de wikipedia las. ik kende zn naam niet maar de byrds wel en tja de band was toch beter. maar wel een lekkere plaat!
Country rock - Jackson Brown, Byrds friend, produced heavily Strength of strings
Not my style.
Easy to listen to (and forget I’m listening to something) for the most part. Sounds like Neil Young at times.
Album No. 0159 on my list. The name Gene Clark struck a bell, but I had no idea what music the guy had been making. As far as I understood, "No Other" was not at all well received at the time of its release. And I honestly wonder why, because this is a solid album. The songs were not really that catchy (no bangers on this one), but they do have a certain quality, and the songwriting is really solid. Interesting lyrics, great composition, good sense for timing. Reminded me of Neil Young multiple times. Good singer-songwriter music, and I fully understand why the album made the 1001 album list. Nice overall vibe, one really has to wonder why it was so ill received when it was released in 1974. I like the album. I'll add "Life's Greatest Fool", "Silver Raven", and "Some Misunderstanding" to my playlist. Solid stuff indeed. 3/5 stars.
I like the southern rock vibes. Very Eagles.
When it startend I thought just another country album, but then it surprised me
Pleasant enough listen
This was OK
pretty good album, not too shabby
- Est-ce qu'on peut acheter un Neil Young? - On a déjà un Neil Young à la maison. Le Neil Young qu'on a à la maison...
Having listened to two folky albums back to back I realized how much I appreciate Gene Clark, despite having never heard from him. This album felt very much in the vein of CSNY. Where it differed is this album pulled in a little more country feel to it. Key song was Strength of Strings, which felt like a slow story over a camp fire. Some Misunderstanding had a similar feel, but clocked in at a much longer story (over 8mins). But I liked how the very country ballad True One cranked up the tempo, which was weird to say for a ballad. I could come back here.
Random thoughts: * Cool to learn this was one of the guys from the Byrds. * I actually turned this one off after the first few seconds on my first try to listen because I thought it was going to be a country album. It has some country tinges but is more folk rock than country. * I found myself in a better place today and listened with an open mind. * I guess this album kind of ended his solo career but has become kind of a cult classic now. Even his grave headstone says "No Other" on it. * "No Other" track is pretty cool. Went back and listened to it again. Solid track. * Again, glad to be exposed to more music but this did not leave a huge impression on me and I probably wouldn't revisit it again. It's definitely in the bottom half of 1001.
Sophisticated country-adjacent singer songwriter music is usially my jam but I find this just ok. Trying to pin down why this album isn't gelling with me when on paper I should love itband I think it's that overly 'aw shucks' West Coast 70s pop sheen on the production and vocals. Needs just a little more grit and it'd be a classic.
I want a 70s country man.
Good! Not amazing, but good!
Some really cool songs but the other half was kinda generic country/blues/rock.
Another album in this list that was a flop when it was originally released. Slightly reminiscent of Neil Young, especially the track "Strength of Strings". Not too bad, although I'm not a fan of the Country track "The True One".
Decent folk rock, though rather grandiose at times. Probably not "one of the greatest albums ever made". Those who hear this album thinking they've discovered a "lost masterpiece" are giant hipster doofuses for thinking this album is anything greater than another 70's folk rock album with too many instruments trying to cling to an already overdone trend of the folk music from this time. Cope harder, losers.
nice
I really like the song No Other, the rest of the album didn't do it for me as much tho.
This album just kind of existed in the background, which isn't necessarily bad.
Been a while since we were fed a country meal on this journey. Although this seemed more akin to Eagles or other early 70's bands edging the lines between country, folk and jam band. I'll need to read up the history to understand why this belongs in the list. It's fine, but forgettable. Reading the history, I'm going to side with those original 70s critics that yawned, and overrule the more recent folks claiming this as a "best album ever".
I didn’t mind this, I don’t think at any point I thought it was great but you can tell it was made with care and it’s interesting in terms of sound and arrangement which makes it worth a listen but maybe not going back to.
Not bad. Pretty listenable and almost Neil Young-ish actually. Probably because I had no idea who he was and feared it might be jazz, but still a pleasant surprise.
A true genre-bending album. Maybe it’s more accurate to call it genre-blending? Gene has made an interesting mix here of folk-rock, psychedelia, and country. The vibe I keep feeling here is Tim Buckley. I wish he had sung on this album- Gene’s voice has a nice vulnerable quality to it but this music is ambitious and wide- ranging, and could’ve used someone with stronger pipes. Somehow, Gene manages to combine the production and arrangement complexity of Pet Sounds with folk rock and I enjoy it. A strong album. THREE STARS
Cover art is cool as hell Music is mediocre though, not terrible though feel indifferent about it
It was okay 7/10
63/1089 3.3319* This was quite the calm and relaxing album. Nice guitar playing and a wonderful voice. Maybe a nice soundtrack for the early afternoon in a backyard pool and bar.
Loved the cover
I was not familiar with Gene Clark but this was a good album. I have grown tired of this genre but this was nice. A solid 3.5
Serviceable album, kind of like The Doors at points and nice melodies. Didn't blow me away.
No big hits like a Byrds album but all the same vibe.
Sounds like hippies alright.
This was entirely not on my radar, and it was pretty good! I wonder why it didn't get picked up by critics as much as The Byrds? At any rate, some great psych rock here. Not entirely my jam, but helped start my Friday.
It was a simple smooth style of music. At least it was not offensive.
I will forget about this album in a couple weeks
This was kinda cool, if the A side had sounded more like the B side it would be getting a 4. Really liked the B side, liked the longer more melancholy sounding songs.
Pretty decent - I liked the song 'no other'. Felt like some of these songs would be suited to a Guardians of the Galaxy film, but also kinda country?
Listened to it and couldn't remember a damn thing that stood out about it other than its classic rock with some harmonies added to it.
'Life's Greatest Fool' was strong. I started losing interest after that and don't remember anything else I liked about it.
nice and smooth
I don't know what to think about his album. Not bad, but not particularly inspiring. Worth a second look at some point though ⭐⭐.75
Enjoyed it but not my thing
It's fine, I don't think its that bad but it also doesn’t do much noteworthy. Mastering is fine, the music is fine.
Not bad might play it again Cali 70s rock/country
It was okay. It's just kind of forgettable and I didn't really find myself hooked at any particular moment.
This one has some flashes of really cool stuff, and some flashes of really forgettable stuff. Wears it's influences on its sleeve, but never quite lives up to them.
Really good, exactly what I want first thing in the morning. Really relaxed and intertesting. Highlights were "No Other", "Strength of Strings" and "Some Misunderstanding".
I mean it’s all right
6.5/10
I was Kinda enjoying and I thought of rating it a 4 but them I had to stop when the last song started and didnt feel like coming back. So it’s a 3
Alright, easy listening rock. Vocals were a bit twangy
Nice
fine nothing much either way
3.5
Good album. Former Byrds member solo LP, country influenced with strong songs and arrangement. Will listen again.
Not memorable
I liked much of this.
Quite enjoyable. It was good.
Some decent melodies here. Nothing groundbreaking or exciting, but not unpleasant to listen to and not boring. It’s fine.
A good album, I liked Life's Greatest Fool and Strength of Strings the most.
Pleasant but not sure if it needs to be on the list
Was a good listen
Just did not have an impact on me
Started off okay but I wasn't sure about it, but ended up really enjoying it by the end. Probably something I wouldn't listen to again. 3.5
Better than the other Gene Clark album on here. Why are there even two? I really enjoyed the production on some of these songs. Sounded very good when I was working.
Not bad, not my favorite though
Egentlig ret meget up my alley!
Pretty good!
Very modern country rock album from the past.
It's okay
As my step-son would say, medium
Day 96 A very interesting album with a terrible cover picture. 7/10 Highlights No Other Some Misunderstanding
Fine, but not very interesting
I did not go into this with much expectations but I was pleasantly surprised. The title track had a very interesting instrumental. Sad to hear it did not receive its flowers while Gene Clark was with us.
Not my favorite genre, but I kind of liked several of the songs.
приятный, вчера сквозь сон даже решила гармонии одной из песен ещё поисследовать, попозже
Really surprised by the slight psychedelic hint to the country twinge. Lyrics were interesting in some, but didn't really grab me.
Not a lot of variety in moods. It's a decent listen though.
Kann man sich gut anhören, passiert aber wenig. Eigentlich 2,5 Sterne.
Die Songs, bei denen etwas die Neil Young-Vibes durchkommen, haben mir gut gefallen. Sobald er aber zu stark in den klassischen Country abgedriftet ist, war ich dann wieder komplett raus.
Ja, war nett und ein paar Songs gehen gut ins Ohr, insgesamt betrachtet aber nichts, was mich total umwerfen würde. Cool ist, dass es mir sofort Torfrock-Vibes gibt.
Folsky…and gospelly? Definitely not British. I like it.
This just played in my head a video of a father driving an RV while the kids are sleeping in the back. I don't know why. I don't dislike it, but it's not that great either.
Enjoyed this. I was aware of the Byrds but had to look up Gene Clark. A solid album, if a bit Dylanesque, but that's fine by me being a big Dylan fan. A good mellow listen for lazy afternoons or evening relaxing.
Schön, aber nichts Spezielles.
It was fine, nothing particularly spectacular but I didn’t hate it.
I’ve heard worse
Interesting. He does have a good voice and songwriting. The lyrics are a vibe, but I don't know if I'm the target audience here. It's a bit boring and I feel like the instrumentals don't really get super far beyond where they start. The bass player is really good and the guitars are solid too. The music is good, but for some reason it doesn't have a certain x factor, but it is super chill. reminds me of a rattlesnake moseying through a gigantic desert on a hot summer day. He's a snake though so he's kinda chillin
Einfühlsame Lieder die einem berühren
Hard to pin this one down. "Life's Greatest Fool" seems country at the outset, and "True One" is almost like Kris Kristofferson, but the energy changes, and the lyrics are hard to follow. Rock guitar and piano. Vocals call to mind the Grateful Dead in places, Neil Young in others. "Some Misunderstanding" is a search for meaning by someone who seems heartbroken or world-weary. I especially like the line, "But I know if you sell your soul to brighten your role, you might be disappointed in the lights." Not likely to listen to this one again, though.
My favorites: "Some Misunderstanding" "The True One" Overall, a pretty solid 60s-70s singer/songwriter album but nothing revolutionary.
Nice album, didn't blow me away but some nice songs
strength of strings ok. All tracks are good. I liked it a lot when I listened to it for the first time. But the second time, I found it a bit boring. Good for driving.
i enjoyed this more than i thought i would. solid record, but a bit slow for my liking overall
I agree that this album didn’t deserve the hate it got on its initial release, but I don’t know where people are getting this greatest album ever talk from. Some good songs and a chill listen, glad I heard it but I don’t know if I’ll come back to it again.
This is the kind of album I would expect to come on the radio while I'm riding with my dad in his truck for 6 hours in the dry arid region of Southern Colorado.
This was kind of a wild ride, the genre flipped without me knowing. This is approaching a 8/10, but I'll stick with 3/5
Good
Fav: Some Misunderstanding Least Fav: No Other It picks up in the second half, and it’s definitely not as boring as his other album on this list, but there are certainly sections that are boring. Can’t believe he’s got 2 albums…
pretty enjoyable! i liked this especially the title track, there is something very addictive about it. not revolutionary in any strict sense but still nice.
I really loved "Silver Raven" and wish the rest of the album was a little more like it. This is still a solid album overall.
I sat with this for a month...it wasnt that bad in the end.
Another one of *those* albums that's probably really good if you grew up with it, but today just give me Neil Young instead.
Reminds me of Neil Young
Standouts Silver Raven No Other Some Misunderstanding
I was shallow frying cauliflower as I listened to this. Overall, it was nice music to fry to, and now and again, there were moments that made me pay attention. I'll give it another try, one of these days.
Best Neil Young album on the list.
shocking in the extreme that someone who can make this willingly made all those byrds albums
This was a lot more country-sounding than I expected; while it was a little slow and vibey for my personal taste I did enjoy it. I could see it being the sort of album you put on and tinker around with stuff, no big surprises, just tunes.
This album is a bit uneven; I found it pretty boring at first, with not-so-interesting country/folk, but then there are more progressive bits here and there that start to be blended in, and this is way better. Once again an album questionning the relevance of this list; what is so remarkable that it has to be there? Not sure.
I like the slightly psychedelic folkish rock sound, but there is something in Clark's voice that I don't like
is this country or is it Americana some nice tunes
This got better after a few listens. Really enjoyed the title track.
lifes greatest fool- 5 silver raven- 5 no other- 5 strength of strings- 5 from a silver phial- 5 some misunderstanding- 5 true one- 5 lady of the north- 5
🗯 The sound of ex-Byrd goes solo and leans into lush country rock — bit beige at first, but gathers some steam as it progresses. Ex-Byrd Gene Clark threw everything he had into No Other: lavish production, sprawling arrangements, and songs that some critics later called “godlike pop.” At first it drifted by like country rock wallpaper to me, but when it leaned into gospel and soul colours, I found myself warming up. That’s where the record breathes — in the swelling choruses and spiritual flourishes that lift it above its beige beginnings. Flop on arrival, the record bombed so badly in 1974 that Clark never really recovered, a career-defining swing that went wide. Decades later it’s been reevaluated as a cult classic, and I get it — even if I’d probably file it under “appreciate, not adore.” Verdict: Good (a lost classic that shines brightest when it leans gospel/soul, but not one I’m frothing to replay) For fans of: The Byrds, Gram Parsons, lush country rock epics that history eventually forgave
Decent folk rock album.
Better than I thought it was going to be
Touches of country in places on this offering. Like the other album of his on the list it wasn’t a hit at the time of release but this is much better and more atmospheric. Not sure it’s a classic though.
"No Other" is a pretty boring country album. It’s thankfully inoffensive, but it didn’t capture my attention either. The standout track for me was "Strength of Strings," which had a bit more life to it.
Decent album. I like the Byrds. Overall solid but not spectacular. I enjoyed Strength of Strings and Some Misunderstanding the most.
gene was the lead singer of 'the byrds' - i actually preferred this solo album to the byrds' 'fifth dimension' project, an album i reviewed just four days ago. i still wouldn't choose to listen to this again due to this folksy/country rock not really being my thing, but i thought this far less bland and empty than that of 'fifth dimension'. it was great background music for doing work on a sunday afternoon, though that's it. it had more intriguing and interesting instrumentation and melodies than FD and i found myself actively listening to the music far more, however it still wasn't enough and it'll end up fading into the rest of the 'okay' albums i've listened to.
Fine album.
Not my scene but not a bad album.
Quite ok
Fine music for its era
Strength of strings is a vibe.
Had to go back and listen to ‘White Light’ (also on the 1001 albums list) after listening to ‘No Other, to make sure they were both recorded by the same person. They could not be more different. ‘White Light’ is a snooze fest, whereas ‘No Other’ is way more engaging despite a few flat spots. You can tell Gene Clark threw everything he had into this one, and you can hear where the money was spent. Consider me pleasantly surprised.
Entspannt, unaufgeregt und irgendwie cozy. Mehr macht es aber auch nicht mit mir. 3 – War okay / Interessant 👌 Solides Album, einige gute Momente oder Ideen. Vielleicht nichts, was ich nochmal hören würde, aber spannend zu kennen.
Like Jim Croce but less AM Radio
норм.
A pretty good vibe
#DÍA 26: 1001 Discos Que Hay Que Escuchar Antes De Morir (English Translation Below) Hoy toca el estereotipo de disco que imagino encontrar constantemente durante el desafío: álbum de country de un tío que no creo que deba escuchar antes de morir. Gene Clark fue un miembro fundador de The Byrds que en 1974 decidió componer un LP en solitario de lo más ambicioso, una producción muy potente con una cantidad algo exagerada de músicos contratados. Consigue lo que quiere al final, el álbum suena grande, instrumentalmente es impresionante, pero poco más. Si que es verdad que molan los toques de Rock psicodélico aquí y allá, le dan personalidad, aunque creo que debió ahondar mucho más en ello. El álbum abre con Life’s Greatest Fool presentándonos una estilo de Rock Country con toques de gospel y letras poéticas y reflexivas. La voz de Gene Clark es suave y sutil, a veces demasiado y termina pareciendo un sonido más de fondo, además que su estilo lírico me parece bastante falto de personalidad. El gran problema de este álbum es que considero que le faltan momentos memorables, es muy monótono, sólo me destaca la canción homónima porque es donde más psicodelia hay, con ese bajo tan prominente en la mezcla que hace retumbar todo bastante. Por otro lado, Some Misunderstanding intenta ser muy grandiosa y un momento clave, pero no creo que a nivel compositivo ni vocal consiga crear un mínimo de momentum para dar una fuerza real a esos estribillos. La producción y paleta sonora termina siendo muy plana y seca, los versos se hacen repetitivos y demasiado lentos. Creo que una canción que apunta a una dirección parecida es Us and Them de Pink Floyd, pero creo que ellos logran un mayor impacto gracias a un manejo de la intensidad más expresivo, el cual falta constantemente en este proyecto de Gene Clark. En general es decente, pero no tiene nada que me llame la atención como para considerarlo una escucha necesaria. Quizá si el Country es tu género favorito pues sí pueda ser más interesante, pero para el fan de música general no lo veo vital. El talento musical es innegable, pero al final es lo que se consigue gracias a haber invertido 100.000 dólares (lo que hoy sería medio millón) en producción, la creatividad no está muy presente, y es lo que creo que hace que tanta ambición termine en algo más bien pobre. Aunque no es terrible ni ofensivo, podría ser mucho mejor si hubiese intentado ser algo más ofensivo. Favoritas: No Other, Strength of Strings Menos favorita: From a Silver Phial #DAY 26: 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die Today’s pick fits the stereotype of an album I imagine I’ll come across often during this challenge: a country record by a guy I don’t think I really need to hear before I die. Gene Clark was a founding member of The Byrds who, in 1974, decided to compose a highly ambitious solo LP—a big production with what feels like an excessive number of hired musicians. In the end, he gets what he was aiming for: the album sounds big, and instrumentally it’s impressive… but not much more than that. It’s true that the touches of psychedelic rock here and there are pretty cool—they give it some personality—though I think he should have leaned into them much more. The album opens with Life’s Greatest Fool, presenting a country rock style with gospel touches and poetic, reflective lyrics. Gene Clark’s voice is soft and subtle—sometimes too much so—and ends up feeling like just another background sound. His lyrical style also strikes me as lacking in personality. The big problem with this album is that I think it’s missing memorable moments; it’s very monotonous. The only real standout for me is the title track, because it’s where the psychedelia is most present, with that prominent bass in the mix that makes everything rumble. On the other hand, Some Misunderstanding tries to be grand and a key moment, but I don’t think it manages to build enough momentum—compositionally or vocally—to give those choruses any real power. The production and sonic palette end up feeling flat and dry, the verses are repetitive and too slow. A song that I think aims for something similar is Pink Floyd’s Us and Them, but they achieve a far greater impact thanks to a more expressive handling of intensity—something this Gene Clark project consistently lacks. Overall, it’s decent, but there’s nothing that grabs my attention enough to consider it an essential listen. Maybe if country is your favorite genre it could be more appealing, but for the general music fan, I don’t see it as vital. The musical talent is undeniable, but that’s also what you get when you invest $100,000 (about half a million today) into production—creativity, on the other hand, is not as present, and I think that’s what makes all that ambition end up as something rather underwhelming. While it’s neither terrible nor offensive, it could have been much better if it had actually tried to be a bit more offensive. Favorites: No Other, Strength of Strings Least favorite: From a Silver Phial
Can a white boy speak a little country? *Slide guitar* I like the gospel music influence and full bodied sound. Strength of strings was a highpoint and each song has a sort of grandness to it. Not an immediate hook for me but I get the feeling it would be better on a second listen.
Decent.
Sounds alright, but I don't understand what's essential about it. Favorite song: Silver Raven
Not bad, not as good as The Byrds.
The first few notes and I thought this could potentially be a one star album but it actually grew on me a little
El comienzo del álbum presenta un estilo de música country muy tranquila y poco sobresaliente. Pensé que el resto del álbum iba a transcurrir de esta manera, y sin embargo, hacia el tercer tema el estilo cambia muchísimo. Gene Clark mencionó que para el álbum tomo elementos de Innerversions de Stevie Wonder, y se nota. Conserva el estilo country, pero utiliza elementos del soul y el R&B, generando un estilo más progresivo. Son temas mucho más largos que se toman el tiempo para desarrollar distintos momentos, con varias capas de sonidos (agregando instrumentos orquestales y sintetizadores). Varios de estos temas me recordaron un poco a algunas de las músicas de Bowie en los 2000. Cierta atmósfera meditabunda, nostálgica, pero con energía de rock. Lamentablemente para mi gusto, hacia el final el álbum retoma el estilo que propone al principio. Con un sonido country más genérico. No sé si considero que este álbum deba estar en esta lista, pero al menos pude disfrutar bastante de la sección media del álbum.
I really liked this, despite knowing nothing about the artist or album beforehand. There's a growling feel to the musoc and the voice. It made me want to drive down highways, despite not being able to drive. A decent find.
He was better as a member of the Byrds. He is OK here. Too country for my taste
The Good: We know we are the only one! The Bad: Maybe we should have had some variety, as it is the spice to life… The Ugly: Finding out that we’re the only one due to an obsession… Well, that was unexpected. Judging by the cover of the album, one’d think that you’re in for some light jazz, maybe a waltz or two? Then the music starts and you try to figure out what you are listening to. I’m no fan of the Byrds, nor The Byrds, nor any of the late ‘60s psychedelic stuff, unless it’s Hendrix wailing on his guitar. Thus, just by the name, I was not instantly aware of who, or what, I was about to be exposed to. It wasn’t bad. It wasn’t great either. It was just kind of no other… Reading the wiki information I did have to scratch my head as, according to wikipedia, Goats Head’s Soup and Innervisions were two albums that influenced Mr Clark while making this record… and those are two album which I really like—believe that the GHS isn’t on this 1001 album list, probably to make space for more bland crap like this album… Anyway, turns out that the album failed to make an impression, the artist blaming the record company, and decades later, when released again, it was found to be a lost gem… not for me though. Will I ever listen to this album again… yes, I will. Not because I found it great, but more because it makes me curious about my musical taste… as it seems to be a hidden gem… but not to me. Scoring wise, I am conflicted… And I really do wish that we’d be able to score on a scale of 10, as this would get a 5* rating
This started off just being another boring 70s folk rock album, but the further I got into it the more I started to appreciate a lot of the nuances. While still very much a part of an era of music I feel is far overrepresented on this list with so much generic slop, this one manages to stand just a bit above all of that and still has moments in there that show more of an attempt to make something more original and unique. One I think will grow on me the more I hear it.
ex Bird's singer, quite conventional
Can see how people enjoy it, but it's not really for me. Country/folk doesn't tend to sit that well with me. As some have said, if you grew up with it it's probably great, otherwise it's more of the same. Listenable if nothing else.
Liked it more as it went along but still didn’t like it much
An alright chilled out album, nothing too crazy and a decent listen but nothing stellar.
pretty good for a country leaning album, still not my thing but it was good
This was a pretty good album, had some songs that I definitely have heard before that I didn't know who they were by, and were stuck in my head after lol
This is solid when they bring back the acid, but sucks when it gets all twangy.
Meh - 3 stars but just cause I am feeling generous today
interestinf
Pretty down the middle folk rock. I really enjoyed the funkier guitar and organ of From a Silver Phial.
Pues no lo conocía y me ha gustado bastante. No me he guardado ninguna canción en favoritos, pero después de escuchar este disco estuve toda la tarde escuchando cosas de él.
after hearing the first one I thought oh great another country album? But then "No Other" came in, and I realised I judged a bit too quickly, actually an interesting album, exceeded my expectations! 3.5/5
Nice mix or country and soft LA rock off an album I've never heard. Good Sunday afternoon music. At times feels more like arrangements that songs but was worth the listen.
classic shit
Great instrumentation and production. Gets a little bit druggy on the B side which isn't my thing.
I liked it more than I thought I would. The history of this album is fascinating, look it up.
It was charming. Some good songs in the beginning, but it fizzled out near the end. Not the worst thing ever though
Just like Rattlesnakes! Same boat!
The name Gene Clark rang no bells and the album cover, looking like a New Yorker magazine on acid, offered no clues. So, I tried to listen ahistorically, but this quasi-country, Americana-infused rock oozes late '60s and early '70s vibes. Its gentle opener, anchored by simple guitar and melancholic yet direct vocals, sets a mood that's mostly well-sustained over the course of the record. The title track "No Other" is exemplary in this regard. If you've listened broadly to this era of popular music, you'll catch moments that feel familiar (sometimes uncannily so) and the whole record slots comfortably into the canon of '70s mellow gold. But this isn't just music made of its time and sounding only like it. There's a timeless quality to some of it too. The closing track "Lady of the North" wouldn't sound so out of place alongside "10 Mile Stereo" by Beach House. No Other works not only within its own decade, but also outside it.
Good 70s country rock singer songwriter
Decent,
A good country rock album not much else to say
C’est léger, ça groove un peu, ptit hochement de tête par-ci par-là… rien de vraiment spécial mais ça bouche un coin. - DÉSOLÉ CYRIL, JE CONNAIS BEAUCOUP TROP DE FRANÇAIS QUI S’APPELLENT CLÉMENT, ÇA M’A CONTAMINÉ Pour mon rituel d'écoute, je n'y vais pas aussi méthodiquement que toi. Je me fis beaucoup au cover et aux tops commentaire pour déterminer quel type d'album ça va être. Par exemple, si je perçois que ça va être un énième album pop-rock ou post-punk qui a mal vieilli avec le temps, je l'écoute en background en travaillant. La majorité du temps, la musique de ce genre d'album là perd dans le fil de mes pensés, comme la radio d'épicerie (ou super marché, comme vous dites). J'appel ça des albums mous, qui ne m'évoque rien en particulier, souvent des 3, mais dépendament de mon mood un 2 ou 4. Mes critiques sont très brèves, et tourne souvent autour de «pourquoi c'est dans la liste?» ou «musique de centre d'achat». Après, t'as les classiques, les gros bangers de la listes, ceux qui te font tressauter le cœur quand tu les voit générer. Dans ces cas-là, j'écoute l'album en prenant une marche dans la forêt près de chez-moi, m'attardant sur les détails derrière les arrangements musicaux ou les paroles. Je prend beaucoup plus de temps pour écrire ses critiques là, allant jusqu'à 30-45 minutes pour bien synthétiser mes pensées. S'ensuit les albums de mardes, collectivement convenu comme étant des étrons musicaux, le fond du fun de la liste. Souvent, je les écoute en faisant le ménage ou une autre tâche chiante, comme ça le reste de ma journée semble être vraiment cool en comparaison. Là aussi, je peux passer plus de temps à écrire ma review, mais dans un style beaucoup plus libre et instinctif, parlant directement avec mes ressenti et les images mentales qui me sont venu en écoutant l'album. Finalement, t'as les autres, les outcasts et underdogs de la liste, ceux que tu découvres (ou redécouvre) pis tu sais pas quoi en penser. T'es pas sûr si c'est bon, mais ça te reste dans le fond tête, te titillant deux semaines plus tard pour le réécouter, pis quand tu te décide de le faire t'es encore plus confu que la dernière fois, j'aime-tu ça pour vrai ou c'est du placebo? Un mois plus tard, tu relance l'expérience, pis ça te frappe dans la face: c'est ton nouveau classique. Faque tu enclenche le mode Edit, tu suis le lien dans tes courriel, et tel un Marty McFly, tu changes ta note passée en revenant du FUTUR. Ouf, ça fait beaucoup, je continuerais demain...
Not bad! Not incredibly memorable on first listen but I can see what a lot of folks are getting out of it.
This was good, but ultimately forgettable in the late 1960s/early 1970s folk pop wave. I think I appreciated Gene Clark better when I appeared with the rest of The Byrds rather than this solo project.
Neat mix of genres here, but overall a country/folk/rock album.
Não conhecia o álbum. Achei bem divertido. Celest Phoenixcall.
An interesting slice of folksy American rock. His voice is nice and the songs are mellow and catchy.
Not bad. There were sounds in here that show he may have been an influence to bands like Metallica and Bruce Springsteen.
Its like Walmart brand Neil Young.
Perfectly fine album, no track that I thought were exceptional and none that sucked.
I like Silver Raven, but nothing else really clicked for me. It is fine inoffensive music to have in the background.
Nice record, good songs on here. might have to add it to my list.
i’m not complaining it was nice
Pleasant, no complaints
it's pretty good but kind of also a little bit boring
Not much to say about this one, it was alright (2.5/5)
Mixed.
It’s tasteful to a fault. The kind of album that sounds expensive and sincere but also kinda boring. The title track’s got ideas - too many maybe. And “Strength of Strings” flirts with something cool, but even that gets washed out by the overly clean production. I kept hoping for a banger, or at least a moment of rawness. No dice. Not terrible, not great. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions: - Life's Greatest Fool - No Other - Strength Of Strings
Aight
Interesting music that sounds of it's time the music builds well. Nothing stood out but it was nice background
Is it a coincidence that this one came after the Byrds? I like this one better than mr. tambourine man.
Nice album.
A pleasant surprise listening to this album. Like it 3/5
5.5/10
So far seems very bland. Nothing outstanding.
Listened Before? N This was an enjoyable listen. After reading a bit about it it's a real shame that it was buried by bad reviews on release. Just an example of how a hivemind mentality can totally screw things up. I'm glad its getting its due now but what a travesty that it is posthumously. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: No Other
A little weird but nice
Solid
Too much steel guitar.
Solid country rock vibes.